Batter coated food products have broad appeal. Thus, there is great interest in thes foods being of convenience and having appealing savory characteristics. Typically, chicken, fish or other meat products are the most popular batter coated fried foods, although increasing in appeal to consumers are vegetables which are also batter coated. These food products are ideally prepared and are ready for consumer use.
Generally, the food product is coated with a flour/starch/egg mixture and is fried, or before frying the batter coated food product may be coated with a breading such as corn meal, cracker crumbs, bread crumbs and the like. A problem with such a coating mixture is that the food product absorbs a substantial amount of oil. This affects the taste and handling of the food product so the product is unappealing.
Previous attempts have been made to combat this problem of oil absorption, but they have not been successful. Some have tried altering the coating mixture by dry blending methylcellulose, having a methoxyl weight percent of 27 to 31, or dry blending hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, having a weight percent of 19 to 24 methoxyl and 4 to 12 weight percent hydroxy propoxyl, with other ingredients. Although it was previously thought that these blends reduce oil absorption by the food product, they actually do not substantially decrease the absorption.
In addition to lowering oil absorption, it is also important to have a viscous batter coating that adheres to the food product. A typical problem with batter coating compositions is that the tend to run off the food product. Therefore when the food product is fried, it lacks the desired crispiness and the food product tastes greasy or oily.
Thus, it would be desirable to develop a coating formulation which would reduce oil absorption, and be easy to use. The food product would then have the convenience and appealing savory characteristics which the consumer desires. Additionally, by reducing oil absorption the food product would also have less calories, which is always desirable to consumers.